Method of constructing foundations, tunnels, &amp;c.



No. 755,955.A PATBNTED MAR. 29, 19047 C. SOOYSMITH.

METHOD 0F GONSTRUGTING FOUNDATIONS, TUNNELS, &o.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

No MODEL.

UNITED STATES atented March ,99, 1904.

PATENTY OFFICE.

CHARLES SOOYSMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING FOUNDATIONS, TUNNELSfao.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N0. '7 55,955, dated March29, 1904.

, Application filed June 1, 1903. Serial No. 159,504. (No model.)

My invention relates to the method of constructing foundations, andparticularly to foundations in soft or water-bearing material, and moreparticularly, though not exclusively, to those cases where thefoundation is to be implaced after the construction of the mainstructure, as in constructing a submarine tunnel.

rIhe objects of my invention are to provide a method of constructingfoundations that shall be at once quicker, easier, safer, and cheaperthan the methods now practiced and which will result in the productionof a foundation stronger, more durable, and more extensive than thosenow constructed in like positions. I attain these ends by the methodsand devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularlydescribed and claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings like numerals of reference refer to like partsthroughout the respective views.

Figure l is a cross-section of a submarine tunnel on a plane passingthrough one of the piers or concrete piles. Fig. 2 is a plan View of oneof the piers or piles in process of construction. Fig. 3 is a plan viewshowing a modication of my method, or rather of the means of practicingit. Fig. 4: is a cross-section of a tunnel and pier, showing anothermodification of my invention.

In Fig. 1, 1 is the main body of the tunnel;

2, a pipe hereinafter known as a freezingpipe; 3, the soft material, asthe bed of the river through which the tunnel is being pushed; 4:, thefrozen material surrounding the pipe 2. 5 represents the-space excavatedin this frozen material; 6, concrete lling in space 5; 7, the bed-rockor rm strata forming the final point of support for the pier; 8,

the enlarged base of the pile.

Heretofore in constructing tunnels they have either been constructedwithout special foundations, orif in submarine-work foundations havebeen provided for it has been suggested to construct them either bydriving piles in advance of the excavation or to lay the foundation andto construct the tunnel in sections elsewhere and then place it inposition on the foundation. It has also been proposed .to sink thefoundations from the inside of the completed tunnel indifferent ways,one of which is to make an aperture in the bottom of the completedtunnel and by air-pressure or otherwise excavate a shaft of suchdimensions and depth as is found desirable or possible and then build amasonry pier in this shaft. The disadvantages of this method, however,are obvious. would be required to complete the excavation and hold backthe loose mud while placing the masonry would be prohibitive, and again,owing to the soft and oozy nature of the soil, it would be impracticableeven with air-pressure to make an undercut or enlargement, asillustrated at 8, Fig. l, the object of which is to provide for anenlarged base for the pier.

Another method suggested of placing foundations at any point after theconstruction of the tunnel at that point has been completed is to forcepiles, such as screw-piles, out from within. It is evident, however,that there are many serious objections to this method, among which arethe difficulty of forcing suoli piles of suflicient size to beeffective, the danger of distorting the tunnel itself owing to thereaction, the impossibility of noting the progress andl observing thesurroundings of the pile, the impossibility of avoiding or displacingpossible obstacles in its way, the unsatisfactory or uneven bearing uponbed-rock or obstructions, if such areencountered, the loosening orchurning the soil by the screwing motion, the danger of leaking joints,and, finally, the expense due to the installation of such a large numberof piles placed with such difficulty and the maintaining them ineffective condition.

I overcome the diificulties above mentioned and attain other desirableends in the following manner: After the excavation for the tun- Theair-pressure that IOO nel has been made and the same temporarily orpermanently lined, wholly or in part, or after the structure, whateverit is, has been wholly or in part completed I insert through openings inthe bottom of the tunnel or structure at the desired points one or morepipes or cylinders, which may be sectional or otherwise, and sink thesepipes downward through the soft material to or toward the strata uponwhich it is desired to build the base of the proposed pile or piersupport. I then circulate a vehicle of cold in the said pipe or pipesand so solidify the soft material, about which or through which thenecessary excavation is to be made. I may then proceed in severaldifferent ways. For example, I may lill my pipe or cylinder withmasonry, concrete, or other suitable material, and so form my pier, or Imay remove the pipe or cylinder by any well-known means, as by thawingslightly, and fill the space thus left with suitable material. I mayexcavate about the pipe by any well-known method, and so form a space 5.The excavation 5 may be made of any desired size or shape, as square,cylindrical, or conical, and at the bottom or at any other desirablepoint it may be enlarged to attain a wider base for the structure to bebuilt in the excavation. rIhe excavation having been made, I establishin it a pile or piersupport of such dimensions and design as is calledfor by the particular case in hand, and when desirable I also fill inthe pipe itself instead of removing it. This support may be a simplecolumn of masonry, stone, brick, concrete, iron, steel. or othermaterial, or it may be made of a vertical member or members, of steel oriron incased in concrete, in addition to the pipe if the latter be notwithdrawn, as by this method any metal used in the support may bethoroughly protected from corrosion, the placing and construction may bedone under the ordinary atmospheric pressure, the place be madeaccessible to workmen and inspectors, and the bed-rock or other strataupon which the structure is to rest may be prepared to receive the sameand an enlarged base of any desired shape or size acquired.

Instead of the above-described method I may make openings in the bottomof the said tunnel or other structures and tunnel downward by themethods patented by me for tunneling horizontally by the freezingmethod, particularly those methods described in Patent No. 720,384,dated February l0, 1903, or by any other method utilizing the freezingprocess.

Referring to Fig. 3, here is shown a modification of my invention inwhich I employa plurality of pipes or cylinders, preferably as many asfour, so placed as to leave an inclosed space, which is excavated afterthe freezing is completed and afterward filled in, as above described.

Referring to Fig. 4, in this modification of my inventionI may sink mypipes at an angle from the perpendicular. After freezing excavateaportion of the frozen material, so as to form a space the diameter ofwhich constantly increases to the bottom, thus forming when filled upwith solid material aconical or pyramidal pier.

I do not limit myself to the application of this method to theconstructing of foundations for tunnels, as it is adapted to and myinvention extends to its use in the construction of foundations forbuildings, dock-walls, and the shoring of buildings and any other usewhere it is necessary or desirable to place foundations or supports, andfoundations may be so constructed before and after the erection of thesuperstructure. It is also to be understood that I do not limit myselfto any particular material, shape or size, or arrangement of parts-as,for example, I may sink my piers at any angle from the perpendicular. Onthe other hand, I do not claim herein, broadly, every method of placingpiers or foundations beneath existing structures, such as tunnels orotherwise.

It will be understood that where I use the expression building afoundation or a structure I include in this any method of forming thefoundation, such as the establishing posts, pillars, or other assembledelements or building up the foundation from the bottom, as by theimplacing of masonry, brick` or other material, or the filling inconcrete, grouting, or other material from the top.

Where I have used the word erecting,I include by this any method ofraisingafoundation as distinguished from filling in from the top, as ofgrouting, concrete, &c., and where I have used the words filling theexcavation I include any method which substantially fills theexcavation.

By the word foundation I include any support, as a pier, pile, buttress,or other supporting structure.

What I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

l. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, circulating a vehicle of cold in the pipe, freezing the materialabout the pipe, thawing a portion of the frozen material nearest thepipe, withdrawing the pipe, excavating a part of the frozen material,and building a structure in the excavated space, substantially asdescribed.

2. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, freezing the Y material about the pipe, withdrawing the pipe,

excavating a portion of the frozen material, enlarging the excavation atthe bottom and filling in the excavation with solid material,substantially as described.

3. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, freezing the surrounding material, excavating a portion of thelatter, filling the pipe and excavation with solid material,substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

4. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, freezing the surrounding material, withdrawing the pipe,excavating a portion of the frozen material, and filling theexcavationwith solidmaterial, substantially as described.

5: The method of constructingfoundations which consistsin sinking apipe, freezing the surrounding material, thawing a portion of the frozenmaterial, withdrawing the pipe, excavating a portion of the frozenmaterial, and lling the excavation with solid material, substantially asdescribed.

6. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, freezing the surrounding material, thawing a portion of the frozenmaterial, withdrawing the pipe, excavating a portion of the frozenmaterial, enlarging the excavation at the bottom and lling theexcavation with solid material, substantially as described.

7. rlhe method of constructing foundations consisting in freezing thesoil, excavating a portion of the frozen soil, enlarging the excavationat the bottom, and filling the excavation with solid material,substantially as described.

8. r]he method of constructing foundations consisting in sinking aplurality of pipes, freezing the material about them, excavating thematerial between them, and filling the excavation with solid material,substantially as described.

9. The method of constructing foundations consisting in sinking aplurality of pipes, freezing the material about them, withdrawing thepipes, excavating a portion of the frozen material, and filling theexcavation with solid material, substantially as described.

10. The method of constructing foundations consisting in sinking aplurality of pipes,freez ing the material about them, excavating thematerial between them, enlarging the bottom of the excavation, andfilling the excavation with solid material, substantially as described.

11. The method of providing a foundation forV an existing structureconsisting in sinkinga pipe through an opening in the bottom of thestructure to be supported, freezing the ground about the pipe,excavating a portion of the frozen material, filling the excavation withsolid material, substantially as described.

12. The method of providing a foundation for an existing structureconsisting in sinking a pipe through an opening in the bottom of thestructure to be supported, freezing the material about the pipe,excavating a portion of the frozen material, enlarging theexcavation atthe bottom, and erecting a foundation in the excavation, substantiallyas described.

13. The method of constructing foundations consisting in freezing theground beneath the structure to be supported, excavating a portion ofthe frozen material, enlarging the excavation at the bottom, anderecting a foundation in the excavation, substantially as described.

14. The method of providing the foundations for an existing structurewhich consists in freezing` the ground beneath said structure,excavating a portion of the frozen material, and erecting a foundationinthe excavation, substantially as described. V

15. The method of providing a foundation for an existing structureconsisting in sinking 7 5 aplurality of pipes through openings in thebottom of the structure to be supported, freezing the material about thepipes, excavating the frozen material between the pipes, and erecting afoundation in the excavation, 8O substantially as described.

16. The method of providing a foundation for an existing structureconsisting in sinking a plurality of pipes through openings in thebottom of the structure to be supported, freezing the material about thepipes, excavating the frozen material between the pipes, withdrawing thepipes, and erecting a foundation in the excavation, substantially asdescribed.

17. The method of constructingfoundations consisting in sinking aplurality of pipes through openings in the bottom of the struc'l ture tobe supported, freezing the material about the pipes, withdrawing thepipes, excavating the frozen material between the pipes, and filling ina foundation in the excavation, substantially as described.

18. The method of constructing foundations consisting in sinking aplurality of pipes through openings in the bottom of the structure to besupported, freezing the material about the pipes, excavating aportionvof the frozen material, enlarging the excavation at the bottom,and filling in a foundation in the excavation, substantially asdescribed.

19. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, freezing the surrounding material, withdrawing the pipe, andfilling the space so left with solid material, substantially asdescribed.

20. The method of constructing a foundation consisting in freezing theground, excavating a portion of the frozen material on increasing radiidownward,'and erecting a structure in 115 said excavation, substantiallyas described.

21. The method of constructing a foundation which consists in sinking apipe, freezing the surrounding material, withdrawing' the pipe,excavating a portion of the frozen material and, 1 2O erecting afoundation in the excavation, substantially as described.

22. The method of constructing tunnels which consists in constructing aportion of the r tunnel, freezing the ground beneath the same, 1 25excavating a portion of the frozen material and building a foundation inthe excavation, substantially as described.

23. The method of constructing a tunnel which consists in constructing aportion of the tunnel, sinking a pipe from within the same, freezing thesurrounding material, excavating a portion of the frozen material, andbuilding a foundation in the excavation, substantially as described.

24. The method of constructing a tunnel which consists in constructing aportion of the tunnel, sinking a pipe from within the same, freezing thesurrounding material, withdrawing the pipe, excavating a portion of thefrozen material and erecting a foundation in the excavation,substantially as described.

25. rlhe method of providing a foundation for a tunnel which consists insinking a plurality of pipes from within the tunnel, freezing the groundabout the pipes, excavating a part of the frozen ground, and building afoundation in the excavation, substantially as described.

26. The method of constructingafoundation for tunnels which consists insinking one or more pipes from within the tunnel, freezing thesurrounding' material, excavating a portion of the frozen material 'onincreasing radii downward, and building a foundation in the excavation,substantially as described.

27. rl`he method of constructing a foundation for tunnels which consistsin freezing the mate- 30.' The method of providing a foundation y for anexisting structure which consists in sinking a pipe beneath thestructure, inserting solid material in the pipe and removing the pipe,substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 27th day of May, A. D. 1903.

CHARLES SOOYSMITH.

Witnesses:

J. MoELRoY, Jr., LILLIAN C. PFRENCH.

